A sad and frustrating true life story of a Canadian woman stuck in Saudi Arabia with no way out unless she leaves her children. Hopefully this book will help to bring some attention to the situation and hopefully Natalie and her Children will one day finally be able to return to Canada.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A grandma, harpy, Karen squares off against an abusive misogynist Saudi man for control over the life of an abused shrinking violet with clear emotional issues and that girl's kids. For a twist, this story is told completely from the perspective of the above-mentioned Karen.

In 2001, a teenage Franch Canadian named Nathalie falls in love with a 30 something Saudi man living in Canada. He knocks her up and gets deported and then tricks her into coming with their baby to visit her in Saudi Arabia. Once there, the Saudi government declares them married, her and the child to be the property of her now husband Saeed, and refuses to let her return to Canada.

Thus begins a battle to get her home that continues to the present day. Honestly, I find it hard to empathize with the author. When reading between the lines it seems at multiple points that Nathalie would almost prefer living with an abusive husband under an oppressive regime than to return to such an overbearing mother. How else explain that the author's other children want nothing to do with her or this constant battle? Also, it seems as if there are multiple points where Nathalie inexplicably sabotages opportunities to get out from this horrible situation.

The only people I really have any sympathy for in this are Nathalie's children. They had no choice in being born to an abusive father, an enabling mother, and an overbearing grandmother (the author) whose incessant attempts at helping seem usually to do more harm than good. There is an underlying truth here of how dangerous marrying into Islam can be for women, especially of the Saudi Wahabi variety. Unfortunately, I came away from this book wondering if sometimes poor girls fall into that trap because on the surface it sometimes seems better than trying to live with a nagging and quarrelsome Karen like our author seems to be.

The horrific story of Nathalie Morin and her life in Saudi Arabia with her abusive husband, struggling to raise four children. The fight that her mother is still going through to bring her daughter and grandchildren to Canada is a never-ending nightmare for all involved. Eye-opening and a cry for justice.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Press for the advance electronic copy of 'Stolen Family.' It is a difficult book to read, both emotionally and structurally. Johanne chronicles her struggle to have her daughter, Nathalie, and her four children repatriated from Saudi Arabia during the 18 years they have lived there. Nathalie is described as a headstrong, rebellious teenager. When she was 17 in 2001, Nathalie met Saeed, a charming Saudi man who claimed to be attending university in Montreal. She fell in love with him and soon became pregnant. She gave birth to his son, Samir. Saeed was deported to Saudi Arabia as an illegal immigrant. Nathalie decided to take baby Samir to Saudi Arabia and join Saeed. The entry papers had the unmarried young woman listed as Saeed's wife, which meant she would be subject to his authority.

She found Saeed to be a brutal, hot-tempered man in a physically and mentally abusive relationship. She lived in poverty and had three more children born in dire circumstances. She often went out into the streets to beg for food and other necessities for herself and her children while living in a country where she did not know the customs or language. She found that as a woman, she lacked human rights, and she and her children were under Saeed's demands and control. She was frequently locked in the apartment.

According to law, as a Canadian citizen, she was free to return home but could not take her four children. The eldest, Samir, had been born in Canada, but his dual citizenship was not recognized. The three younger children were Arab citizens and were blocked from leaving the country. Saeed and Saudi authorities refused to let them travel. Nathalie refuses to leave the country without her children and worries about them being in Saeed's care during her absence.

The book lists and names the many politicians, diplomats, human rights organizations, and activists Mrs. Durocher has approached in her fierce determination to bring her daughter and grandchildren home. This makes for choppy reading. Some have tried to help, but obstacles in both countries hinder their efforts; others have ignored her pleas, and a few others have chosen to blame the family's words and actions. Canada and Saudi Arabia have each passed the responsibility for delays and roadblocks on to the other country. Mrs. Durocher belongs to several groups of private citizens who have reached out to help.

The long years separated from her family have strained Johanne's finances, health, and well-being.
After years in captivity, isolation, poverty, and mental and physical abuse, Nathalie has grown depressed and angry. She is overwhelmed with hopelessness for herself and her children and has spoken out rashly and impulsively to the detriment of herself, her children, and even Saeed. There were sad repercussions for two female Arab activists. They tried to help Nathalie but ended up with a ten-month prison sentence when Nathalie tried to protect herself and her children.

Johanne Derocher has made many trips to visit her daughter and grandchildren, sent money, and tried to plead with Saudi authorities, but her efforts have been futile.

I think this is an important book that should be compulsory reading for any young woman in a similar relationship and planning to follow in Nathalie's path. If the dream is to move to an Arab country for a life of luxury and romance, they need to beware and have strong second thoughts.
The book is due for release on August 29.

A very emotive and interesting read that although didn’t fully engage with the writing at times did appreciate the story and how it needed to be told

Stolen Family is an account of Nathalie Morin's captivity in Saudi Arabia, at the hand of her partner. Her Mother, Johanne Durocher, gives the timeline and story of this heartbreaking situation that has taken over her daughter and grandchildren's lives. Through struggles with both the Canadian and Saudi governments, Nathalie still remains in Saudi Arabia.

I remember hearing about this story on the news years ago, and reading this book I was able to get the fuller picture of what happened and is still going on. I was shocked at the seemingly lack of care that the Canadian government has taken with this case, and equally as shocked with the treatment of Nathalie by her partner and the Saudi government. As a mother myself, I can only imagine the pain that Johanne is going through knowing that her daughter is unsafe and unhappy, and the pain that Nathalie is going through trying to keep her own children safe and well while struggling with her own safety.

This book goes well in-depth about all the road blocks faced, the complete timelines of events, and even history of some of the people involved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for the free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An utterly heartbreaking account of a mother of all her attempts over the past two decades to have her daughter and grandchildren returned to Canada from Saudi Arabia. Although Nathalie is free to leave Saudi Arabia on her own, due to Saudi law she would not be permitted to travel with her four children as her ‘husband’ is a Saudi national and they cannot travel without his permission (and subsequently there are further blocks put in place to prevent the children leaving the country). As Saudi is not a signatory to The Hague Convention, Canada has been unwilling to assist, and has treated the family appallingly.
The book was published in French two years ago, and there is an update to this English edition filling in what has happened during the past couple of years.
Nathalie’s life is utterly horrendous. It is amazing that she is able to keep going in such awful circumstances and I have every respect for the author, her mother, Johanne Durocher for her tireless campaigning on Nathalie’s behalf.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stolen Family: Captive in Saudi Arabia is a harrowing experience even to read. We can only imagine the plight of the individuals who had to live through this and had their lives devastated. It also makes us aware that many other unaccounted-for similar incidents are happening around us even today, in the era of a globalised world. I believe educating children to become more independent and to curb their tendency to get addicted to substances will be the right step. Recently, Saudi Arabia has been ready to dilute many of its tough religious laws and open up towards a more liberal and free society. I hope other autocratic nations follow suit and that no more families are stolen hereafter.

This book is a warning to everyone, not only to young women, or to any women for that matter.
EVERYONE WHO CONSIDERS GOING TO KSA MUST READ THIS BOOK !!!!!

A Western or European passport is a very valuable document, desired by almost everyone who lives outside of the EU, US, or Canada. The easiest way to get this so important document is by marriage. Young girls are particularly vulnerable. And these men are handsome and can be very charming. The worst thing a girl/woman can do is to become pregnant and go with her husband-now-master to his country of origin. Then the hell breaks open.
This book is about a single case of Nathalie in Saudi Arabia, BUT there are many, many women in a similar situation trapped all over the Middle East. Nathalie is in a way a very lucky person because she has a mother who has been fighting for her like a lioness. And yet, despite all her activities, money, contacts, etc.... to no avail. Nathalie and her children have been trapped in a real hell for nearly 20 years. Is there really no help for this family? Well, the Canadian government does not give a sh!t about them, and Saudis never cared about anyone at all so...
This is a heartwrenching real story WITHOUT a happy ending!

Please remember this before accepting a lucrative contract in KSA. And right now there are a number of huge projects starting over there and tempted by huge salaries, young specialists with their families are moving over in the hope of a life in luxury.
! ! ! BEWARE ! ! !

So heartbreaking. Difficult to read.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

To be honest, I wanted to like this and to find it interesting, but I found it really hard to get into. I didn't feel sympathetic towards the family, and I think that's because of how it was portrayed. However, it's a really important story and definitely needs to be told. I just didn't find it easy to engage with it.

I was familiar with Nathalie Morin's case prior to reading so was glad to be able to read the book and learn more now that it's been translated to English. I appreciated Durocher's matter of fact style of writing and my heart goes out to her even more after reading the details of all that she's been through with the Canadian and Saudi Arabian governments, her daughter's partner, and others. A good and important read for anyone interested in women's rights in particular, as well as a look into how often government is more concerned with their own bureaucratic relations than the safety of their citizens.

For eighteen years, the fight to liberate Nathalie, Samir, Abdullah, Sarah, and Fowaz has been at the heart of a Canadian Mother.

In 2001, Nathalie Morin was just seventeen when she met Saeed, a Saudi man who claimed to be studying in Montreal. She fell in love with him and then became pregnant. Not long afterward Saeed was deported back to Saudi Arabia.

Nathalie decided to join Saeed in Saudi Arabia with her baby Samir when she was Twenty in 2004 feeling confident that she would be able to return to Canada whenever she wanted too.

Sadly, this would not be the case as Nathalie did not realise the total difference in cultures, the Saudi laws, and the total treatment of women who are second class citizens and women are very subservient and have no rights compared to the men.

Saeed had promised Nathalie a great life but that changed as soon as she arrived. Nathalie quickly found she was stuck in an abusive relationship, and she was not able to speak or understand the language, and she then became a prisoner in a foreign country. She is raped by her husband, isolated from other women, and locked in their home, plus she also gives birth to three more children.

Nathalie is allowed to return to Canada but there is one catch that she must go back on her own as her children cannot leave Saudi Arabia without their father’s consent which he refuses to give. Nathalie as a devoted mother who loves her children would never dream of leaving them in Saeeds care and refuses to leave without them. Also due to The Saudi laws which is applied randomly in Saudi Arabia they are keeping Nathalie’s children on a no-fly list for no apparent reason.

My heart went out to Nathalie and Johanne as the book unfolds, and Nathalie began her struggle in Saudi Arabia confiding in her mother of her Diar situation. Nathalie tells her mum about the conditions that her family live in and how inhumane they are and how she is often forced to beg for food on the streets to feed her children.

Johanne is horrified and never thought that she would spend eighteen years fighting bureaucracy trying to get Nathalie and her four grandchildren back home to Canada. There are so many instances that give her hope only to be pushed aside by both the Canadian and Saudi government. the constant back and forth with Saeed and Natalie is exhausting and frustrating but Johanne never wavers and refuses to give up the fight even after eighteen years she hopes one day to be reunited with her family.

Nathalie was young and vulnerable in 2004 and was easily groomed by Saeed but at times I wanted to shake her as her story unfolded and I had many feelings of immense frustration and pity towards both Nathalie and her mum. It is an incredibly sad story with no winners. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily

translation makes it feel a little clunky. overall a moving story about the love a mother has for her child

What a difficult story for a mother and grandmother to tell. I share the author's unanswered questions and was left with many more about the events that unfolded throughout the book.

A really interesting story, perfect for those looking to learn about family dynamics with an international, high-stakes setting.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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Stuck in an abusive relationship with her four children, Nathalie Morin’s nightmarish life in Saudi Arabia spurred her mother on a decades-long journey to bring her daughter and grandchildren home to Montreal.
In 2001, Nathalie Morin was just seventeen when she met Saeed, a Saudi man who claimed to be studying in Montreal. She fell in love with him and then became pregnant, but soon afterward Saeed was deported back to his country of origin. When Nathalie was twenty, she decided to join him in Saudi Arabia with her baby, Samir, confident that she would be able to return to Canada whenever she wanted. But a trap was closing around her: her partner turned out to be violent and authoritarian.
According to Saudi law, Nathalie was considered married and thus under Saeed’s legal authority. All too often she was shut away in her own house, a place of hellish poverty. In 2005, Johanne Durocher, Nathalie’s mother, began her struggle to get Nathalie back home to Canada with her four children: Samir, Abdullah, Sarah, and Fowaz. While Nathalie is allowed to return on her own, her children cannot leave Saudi Arabia without their father’s consent. And Nathalie will not leave without them.
Johanne has left no stone unturned in her efforts to fight her daughter’s case: she has approached governments, embassies, NGOs, media, politicians, and more. Although her hopes have been raised several times, nothing has led to bringing her family home.
This book tells the story of her fight.

This scenario happens so often it seems, and not just in Saudi Arabia, but in any of the UAE/Middle Eastern countries where the husband is considered the RULER of the household. This one is different in that the mother/grandmother is trying to get her daughter and daughter's children back: too often, kids go to visit their father and their family and then are not sent back to their mother in Canada or the USA.
Johanne is a force of nature who would not be told no and reading her amazing story was a delight. I will highly recommend this book to individual readers and book clubs alike for its excellent content and feminist bent. A must-read for anyone interested in family law and justice as well.
#shortbutsweetreviews


In French for that version of the book:

Synopsis (de Netgalley, le fournisseur du livre que je dois réviser.)
****************************************************** ******
Coincée dans une relation abusive avec ses quatre enfants, la vie cauchemardesque de Nathalie Morin en Arabie saoudite a incité sa mère à un voyage de plusieurs décennies pour ramener sa fille et ses petits-enfants à Montréal.
En 2001, Nathalie Morin n'a que dix-sept ans lorsqu'elle rencontre Saeed, un Saoudien qui prétend étudier à Montréal. Elle est tombée amoureuse de lui puis est tombée enceinte, mais peu de temps après, Saeed a été expulsé vers son pays d'origine. À l'âge de vingt ans, Nathalie décide de le rejoindre en Arabie saoudite avec son bébé, Samir, convaincue qu'elle pourra revenir au Canada quand elle le voudra. Mais un piège se refermait autour d'elle : son partenaire se révélait violent et autoritaire.
Selon la loi saoudienne, Nathalie était considérée comme mariée et donc sous l'autorité légale de Saeed. Trop souvent, elle était enfermée dans sa propre maison, un lieu de misère infernale. En 2005, Johanne Durocher, la mère de Nathalie, a commencé sa lutte pour ramener Nathalie au Canada avec ses quatre enfants : Samir, Abdullah, Sarah et Fowaz. Alors que Nathalie est autorisée à rentrer seule, ses enfants ne peuvent pas quitter l'Arabie saoudite sans le consentement de leur père. Et Nathalie ne partira pas sans eux.
Johanne n'a ménagé aucun effort pour lutter contre le cas de sa fille : elle a approché des gouvernements, des ambassades, des ONG, des médias, des politiciens, etc. Bien que ses espoirs aient été suscités à plusieurs reprises, rien n'a conduit à ramener sa famille à la maison.
Ce livre raconte l'histoire de son combat.

Ce scénario se produit si souvent qu'il semble, et pas seulement en Arabie saoudite, dans tous les pays des Émirats arabes unis et du Moyen-Orient où le mari est considéré comme le DIRIGEANT du ménage. Celui-ci est différent en ce sens que la mère/grand-mère essaie de récupérer sa fille et les enfants de sa fille : trop souvent, les enfants vont rendre visite à leur père et à leur famille et ne sont ensuite pas renvoyés chez leur mère au Canada ou aux États-Unis.
Johanne est une force de la nature à qui on ne dirait pas non et la lecture de son incroyable histoire a été un délice. Je recommanderai vivement ce livre aux lecteurs individuels et aux clubs de lecture pour son excellent contenu et son penchant féministe. Une lecture incontournable pour quiconque s'intéresse également au droit de la famille et à la justice.
#shortbutsweetreviews

3.5 stars

♦️In 2001, Nathalie Morin, a seventeen-year-old woman, met Saaed, a Saudi man who claimed to be studying in Canada. They started a relationship, and eventually, Nathalie became pregnant. Over time it was found out that Saaed was illegally staying in Canada, and thus he was deported to his home country. After her son, Samir, was born, Nathalie left for Saudi Arabia, confident that she could return to Canada whenever she pleased. After reaching there, she learnt that Saudi Law considered them married, so to leave the country with her son Nathalie would need Saaed's permission, which he was not ready to grant. Since then, she has been in an abusive relationship with Saaed and living in extreme poverty. Her mother, Johanne, started her fight in the year 2005 to repatriate her along with her four children to Canada. In this book, Johanne tells us about her struggle.

💥Throughout the book, one thing is consistent, and that is the author's immense love for her daughter. Even after fighting for almost two decades with the Canadian and the Saudi government, she has not given up. Due to this, she had to suffer physically and mentally. It also impacted her personally and professionally, but she did not accept defeat.

💥I was also shocked to learn about the indifferent way in which the Canadian government handled the case which ruined the lives of so many people.

💥I was also surprised to learn about the extreme patriarchy in Saudi Arabia. Even in this twenty-first century, women are considered minors. They are denied their fundamental rights, and for every other thing, they require their spouse's permission.

💥It was pretty distressing to read about Nathalie, who endured so much at such a young age when people are supposed to enjoy their life. Even after knocking on so many doors, she and her mother could not find a way out because of a faulty system. Though Nathalie has been living a tough life for many years, she has one thing she should be proud of, and that is her mother.

💥It was bone chilling to learn about Saaed and that such a monstrous person could be anywhere among us, disguised as a normal human being.

💥Sometimes, due to so many people associated with the case, I found it a little challenging to keep track of the names and how they were related to the case, but I am also well aware that to be true to the story, it was required to mention them. Also, the writing style seemed flat, without which my reading experience would have been more enjoyable.

💥I liked the book and could almost experience the emotions with the author while she was fighting for her daughter. Readers who are interested in memoirs must check this one.

Heartbreaking read. My heart went out to Johanne while reading this book. She has given so much of her life to her fight to get Nathalie home to Canada. I could feel her frustration through the pages of the book, the constant back and forth with Saeed was exhausting to read never mind live through. I find it fascinating that in this modern world we live in that Saudi is still so far behind in terms of the treatment of women etc. The conditions that Nathalie and her family lived and most likely still live in are inhumane. It is horrible to imagine anyone living like that.

It was interesting to read Johanne's account of her visits there, especially her most recent visit with her son. Even with all the strict rules in place they still manage to have time to spend with the family etc. I can't fathom why they don't leave Nathalie fly home or let the children fly to Canada. They can't feed them or support them so why keep them there?

I veered between feeling immense frustration at Nathalie to immense pity. She seemed to be a vulnerable young adult ripe for grooming but at times I could have happily shook her. She's lucky to have Johanne fighting so hard for her, you'd wonder at what point she will give up and what will become of them. Its a sad story.

I gave 4 stars, I removed one star because there are quite a large number of random capital letters scattered throughout which I don't like.

Johanne Durocher fights to free her daughter and four grandchildren from a nightmarish life of abuse and poverty in Saudi Arabia.

In 2001, Nathalie Morin was just seventeen when she met Saeed, a Saudi man who claimed to be studying in Montreal. She fell in love with him and then became pregnant, but soon afterward Saeed was deported back to his country of origin. Nathalie decided to join him in Saudi Arabia with her baby, Samir, confident that she would be able to return to Canada whenever she wanted. But a trap was closing around her: her partner turned out to be violent and authoritarian.

According to Saudi law, Nathalie was considered married and thus under Saeed’s legal authority. All too often she was shut away in her own house, a place of hellish poverty. In 2005, Johanne Durocher, Nathalie’s mother, began her struggle to get Nathalie back home to Canada with her four children: Samir, Abdullah, Sarah, and Fowaz. While Nathalie is allowed to return on her own, her children cannot leave Saudi Arabia without their father’s consent. And Nathalie will not leave without them.

Johanne has left no stone unturned in her efforts to fight her daughter’s case: she has approached governments, embassies, NGOs, media, politicians, and more. Although her hopes have been raised several times, nothing has led to bringing her family home.

This book tells the story of her fight.